Coin-controlled machine.



E. DB KLEIST.

COIN CONTROLLED MACHINE. Arruoulon PILED mu. 3, 19oz.

.30 MODEL.

PATENTED MAR. 31, 1903..

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UNITED STATES.

PATENT, OFFICE.

EUGENE DE KLEIST, OF NORTH TONAVVANDA, NEW YORK.

COIN- CONTROLLED MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part a Letters Patent No. 723,878, dated March 31,1 9 03.

Application filed March 3, 1902.

" tion.

This invention relates to the intercepting or detaining devices employedin coin controlledmachines of various kinds, for pro-.7

venting the discharge o'f'the deposited coin for a predeterminedperiod-in order to cause the machine toperform a certain operation or aseries of operationsforevery deposit of a coin before coming toa'standstill. r

. Myinvention has more particular reference to coin-intercepting deviceshaving terminals with which the deposited coin cooperates to close anelectric circuit containing a motor fordriving the movable parts of themachine such, for instance, as the rotary pin-barrel of an automaticmusical instrument. 7

The object of;my-invention is to provide a reliable intercepting andcontrolling device of simple construction which insures the dis,- chargeof the' intercepted coin after the machine has delivered the intendedequivalent of value such as an article of merchandise, the playing of atune, &c.-thus baffling fraudulent attempts to repeat or improperlyprolong the operation of the machine by the deposit of a single coin ortoken.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a fragmentary transversevertical section of a self-playing piano containing my invention. Fig.2is asimilar section taken through the coinfchute. Fig. 3 is afragmentary horizontal section in line 3 3, Fig. 1. Fig. Lisa verticalsection of the discharge-hopper of the chute on an enlarged scale. Fig.5 is a simi lar section at right angles to Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is abottomplan view of said hopper. Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectionin line77,Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary vertical section in line'S. 9, Fig. 7. r

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

Myimprovementis herein shown as applied to an automatic piano in whichthe soundproducingparts and the discharge of the in- Serial No. 96,519.(No model.)

tercepted coin are controlled by a rotary pinbarrel, which is driven byan electric motor. The invention is, however, also applicable to variousother coin-controlled machines'and is shown in connection-with such apiano only by way of illustration.

upper portion of the case of an automatic piano of the kind-in whicht-he"'hammers of the action are indirectly operated from a rotary pinbarrel B. --Th e piano action, the sound-producing members, andthedriving mechanism of the barrel are not shown in the drawings and may heof any'ordinaryjconstruction'.

0 indicates a coin-chute arranged in the contractedupper portion D ofthe piano-case and extending at its upper end through the front wall ofthe case. The open lower end of the chute is arranged over a dischargehopper or throat O, which receives the coins from the chute. Thishopper, although-preferabl y disconnected from the chute, is'practically an extension -thereof. The two'opp'osing side walls d d of the hopperwhich face the edge of the deposited coin or-itoken are stationary andconverged downwardly at such an angle as to formla discharge-throatbetween them, which is narrower than the diameter of a proper coin, bywhich construction the deposited coin is arrestedby bearing at its edgeagainst said converging walls, 'as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 5. One

per--say the wall (Zis provided with or constructed in the form of adischarge-gate adapted to .be moved to a position in which it leaves adelivery-passage through which the arrested coin may be ejectedbyasuitable ejector which enters the hopper through the opposite wall (1 ofthe, hopper. In the construction shown in the drawings the wall d ispivoted between its ends to the side walls at by a horizontal pin e,sothat its lower portion may swing outwardly beyond. the side walls forforming a discharge-opening forthe coins, as shown by dotted lines inFig. 4, or inwardly between the side walls for-closing said opening, asshownbyfull lines in that figure.

f indicates the coin-ejector, which preferof the other walls of thedischarge-hop Referring to the d rawings', Aindicates the ably consistsof a yoke-shaped piece of wire secured at one end to the lower portionof the gate or movable Wall (1 and extending around one side of thehopper to a point opposite the gate, Where it terminates in a finger-f.This finger faces the gate and is adapted to enter the passage of thechute through an opening f formed in the adjacent wall (Z as shown inFigs. 4, 5, and (5. The fingerf normally clears the coinpassage, asshown by full lines in Figs. 4: and 6; but when the gate cl is opened itis caused to follow the gate and move across the coin-passage at a pointin line with the arrested coin, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4,thereby pushing the coin sidewise beyond the side walls and dischargingit from the hopper through the opening left between said walls and theopen gate. From the hopper the coin drops into a chute C leading to asuitable receptacle, which is not shown in the drawings.

To prevent the gatefrom swinginginwardly far enough to obstruct thecoin-chute, the same is provided at its edges with stops f which strikethe edges of the adjacent hopper-walls.

\Vhen myitu proved intercepting and ejecting device is employed forcontrolling the action of an electric motor which drives the movableparts of the machine, the side walls (I of the coin discharge throat orhopper, against which the edge of the coin bears, are made of metal andutilized as the terminals of the electric circuit G,in which themotorgis included, the deposited coin forminga bridge or plug whichtemporarily connects these terminals and closes the circuit. Theterminal walls (I are insulated from each other by the other twowalls,which latter are made of hard rubber or other suitable material.

The discharge-gate (1' maybe opened by any suitable controlling device;but I prefer to employ for this purpose the automatic mechanism shown inthe drawings, which is constructed as follows: H indicates an uprightactuating-wheel arranged in the case A at one side of thedischarge-hopper O and mounted on a horizontal stud or shaft h,supported in a standard it. This wheel is provided on one side with anannular row of feed-pins h and on its other side with a simi lar row ofpins or tappets 71. An intermittent rotary motion is imparted to thiswheel by a feed-pawl 't', which is mounted on a vertically-swingingrock-lever J and which engages with the feed-pins 7t of the wheel. Thefeed-pawl is pivoted by a horizontal pin 71 to the front arm of therock-lever J and held rigid during its forward stroke by a stoppin 2' onsaid lever, but is free to yield and ride over the pins of the wheelduring its return stroke. The rock-lever J is actuated by avertically-swinging finger K, with which its rear arm is connected by arod and which is in turn tripped by a tooth or tappet l on thepin-barrel B. This finger is carried by a cross-bar M. By this mechanismthe actuating-wheel is turned the distance of one of its feed-pinsduring every rotation of the pinbarrel.

N is a horizontally-swinging lever pivoted at n. to the standard 71 andconnected at one 'end with the upperend of the gate d by a rod 0 andprovided at its opposite end with a projection 0', which is arranged inthe path of the tappet-pins of the actuating-wheel H, as shown in Fig.1, whereby the lever is tripped by said pins and swung in the properdirection to open the gate. As shown in the drawings, the projection 0'preferably consists of a screw which can be adjusted vertically on thelever to cause its lower end to extend a greater or less distance belowthe tappet-pins of the actuating-wheel, and thereby regulate the strokeof the lever and the gate (1 accordingly.

A springp, which connects the leverN with a fixed partp', serves toswing the lever in the reverse direction for closing the gate. Backwardmovement of the actuating-wheel H is prevented by a suitable detent-pawlq.

In the normal position of the parts the coindischarge gated is closedand the insulated terminal walls d of the discharge-hopper areelectrically disconnected, leaving the motorcircuit open. Upondepositing a coin in the chute the same drops until it is arrested byits edge striking the converging terminal walls d, as shown by dottedlines in Fig. 5. The coin thus bridges these walls and closes themotor-circuit, causing the pin-barrel B to be turned and operating theinstrument. When the barrel has made a complete turn, its projection ltrips the rock-finger K, causing the actuating-wheel H to be turned thedistance of one of its feed-pins through the medium of the rock-lever Jand feed-pawl 6. When by the rotation of the actuating-wheel one of itstappets 71 rocks the horizontal lever N, the gate cl is opened and thecoin thrust laterally out of the hopper by the ejector f, ashereinbet'ore described, thereby breaking the motor-circuit and stoppingthe instrument. By providing the actuating-wheel H with as many tappets77,3 as it has feed-pins 7L2 the gate is opened once for every turn ofthe pin-barrel O and the instrument plays the tune once for each depositof a coin. By providing the actuating-wheel with half as many tappets asfeed-pins, as shown in the drawings, the barrel will make two turns andcause the tune to be played twice before ejecting the coin andstoppingthe machine, the instrument in this manner playing the tune agreater or less number of times for each deposit of a coin, according tothe ratio between the number of feed and tappet pins.

Among the practices resorted to for defrauding coin'controlled machinesis that of applying an adhesive substance to the coin, as chewing-gum,to cause the same to stick in the coin-chute, thus preventing thedischarge of the coin and enabling the machine to be operatedrepeatedly. This practice is foiled by my improved ejecting device,because the ejector is positively operated by the dischargegate d, andthe latter is positively opened by the pin-barrel and intermediatemechanism.

In order to prevent operation of the machine by an undersized coin, thelower end of the throat or hopper O is made so large that it will notarrest such a coin.

In order to prevent the hopper C from being clogged by depositingseveral coins at a time or in quick succession and so causing theinstrument to play for an indefinite period, the coin-chute C isprovided above the discharge-hopper O with a by-pass or branch chute Rand an automatic switch or baffledoor R,-located at the junction of saidmain and branch chutes. This switch is controlled by the actuatingmechanism of the instrument in such a manner that it clears thepassageof the main chute C and permits the de- Y scent of a depositedcoin when the instrument is at rest, but is automatically moved acrosssaid chute as soon as the instrument is set in motion by the deposit ofa coin, thus directing any additional coins deposited while theinstrument is still playing into the branch chute, where they cannotaffect the instrument. In the construction shown in the drawings theswitch R is secured at its lower end to a horizontal rock-shaft 'r,journaled at the junction of the main chute with the lower side of thebranch chute R and having an arm T, which is connected with the movableboard of a motor-bellows or pneumatic S by an eyebolt 1' or otherconnection, as shown in Figs. 7and 8. This bellows is normally expandedby a spring 5 and constantly communicates with the exhaust or wind chestT of the instrument bya tube or conduit it. By this construction whenthe instrument is at rest the bellows S is relieved from suction and theswitch or baffle-door R is held in the open position (shown by fulllines in Fig. 2) by the expanded bellows. Upon depositing a proper coinin the main chute G the instrument is set in motion, causing the air tobe exhausted from the wind-chest T in a Wellknown manner. The bellows Sis thereby collapsed and caused to swing the switch into the closedposition, (shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2,) deflecting any additionalcoins into the branch chute R as long as the instrument remains inoperation and defeating any attempt to defraud the machine byobstructing the discharge-hopper C. The branch chute B may dischargeinto the chute C As soon as the instrument ceases to play the bellows Sis again allowed to expand, returning the.

coin-switch to its normal open position.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a coin-controlled machine, a coinchutehaving a pair of opposing rigid walls separated by athroat which isnarrower than the diameter of a proper coin, whereby the descending coinis arrested by hearing edgewise against both of said walls, adischargeopening arranged in one of the remaining walls of the chute,and a coin-ejector arranged to move across said throat opposite saiddis:- charge-opening, substantially as set forth.

2. In a coin-controlled machine, a coinchute having a pair of opposingrigid walls separated by a throat which is narrower than the diameter ofa proper coin, whereby the:

descending coin is arrested by hearing edgewise against both of saidwalls, a dischargeopening arranged in one of the remaining walls of thechute, a gate which normally closes said opening, and a coin-ejector ar=ranged to pass through the wall of the chute opposite said gate andmovable across said throat, substantially as set forth.

3. In a coin-controlled machine, the combination of an electric circuit,a coin-chute having a pair of rigid, opposing walls of metal formingterminals of said'circuit and separated by a throat which is narrowerthan the diameter of a proper coin, an ejector arranged to pass throughone of the remaining walls of the chute and movable across said throat,a discharge-opening arranged in the wall of the chute opposite saidejector, and a gatenormally closing said opening and operativelyconnected with said ejector, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of a coin-chute having two of its opposing wallsseparated-by a throat which is narrower than the diameter of a propercoin andhaving one of its-remaining walls pivoted to swing toward andfrom the opposing wall, an ejector arranged to enter the chute throughthe wall opposite said pivoted wall and operatively connected with thelatter, and means for operatingsaid pivoted Wall, substantially as setforth.

5. The combination of a coin-chute having two of its opposing wallsseparated by a throat which is narrower than the diameter of a ICCproper coin and having one of its remaining walls provided with apivoted coin-discharge gate, and an ejector consisting of a yoke carriedby said gate and extending around the side of the hopper and providedwith a finger which is arranged to enter the chute through an opening inthe wall located opposite said gate, substantially as set forth.

6. In a coin-controlled machine having a pneumatic-actuating mechanism,the combination of a wind-chest, a coin-chute having an auxiliarychannel or branch chute, a'coinswitch arranged at the junction of saidmain and branch chutes, and a shifting bellows for said switch connectedwith said wind-chest, substantially. as set forth.

7. In a coin-controlled machine, having apneumatic-actuating mechanism,the combi nation of a wind-chest, a coin-chute having an auxiliarychannel or branch chute, a rockshaft journaled at the junction of saidmain and auxiliary chutes and having an actuating-arm, a coin-switchcarried by said rock- I Witness myhand this 27th day of February,

shaft and arranged to clear 01' obstruct said 1902.

main chute and a bellows communicating v with said wind-chest; andhaving its movable EUGENE DE IXLEIS board connected with the arm of saidrock- 'Witnesscs:

CARL F. GEYER, THEO. L. POPP;

shaft and provided with an expansion-spring, substantially as set forth.

